Apparatus for segregating bristle tufts.



No. 800,668 PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905. H. NIELSON.

APPARATUS FOR SEGREGATING BRISTLE TUFTS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1903.

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0g I 'y lair att'arn y No. 800,668. PATENTED OUT. 3, 1905. H. NIELSON.

APPARATUS FOR SEGREGATING BEISTLB TUFTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 800,668. PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905.

H. NIELSON.

APPARATUS FOR SEGREGATING BRISTLE TUFTS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 17. 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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51 q'y fills ell/019150 No. 800,668. PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905. H. NIELSON. APPARATUS FOR SEGREGATING BRISTLE TUFTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1903.

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- ill: cal/uni y If PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905,

H. NIBLSONA APPARATUS FOR SEGREGATING BRISTLB TUFTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1903.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrroe.

HENRY NIELSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OSBORN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR SEGREGATINGBRISTLE TUFTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed July 17, 1903. Serial No. 165.949.

My invention relates to machines for use in V the manufacture of brushes, and particularly to machines for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, so as to automatically select tufts of substantially equal thickness with quickness and facility.

The object of the said invention is to overcome certain defects in the construction and. operation of machines of the aforenamed character which have heretofore been used for said purpose, and the improvements are hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention,such disclosed means constituting but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings, Figure I represents a front elevation of a tuft-segregating machine embodying my improvements, the lower supporting portion of the machine being omitted from the illustration. Fig. II represents a side elevation of the machine, as illustrated by Fig. I, showing the position of the segregating member at the end of its operation. Figure III represents a plan view. of such machine with the segregating member in a forward position. Fig. IV represents a horizontal section taken upon the plane indicated by lines a 4., Fig. V, viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. V represents a vertical transverse section taken upon the plane indicated by line 5, Fig. IV, viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. VI represents an end elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the segregating member, showing also adjacent parts in vertical transverse section.

The said machine consists, generically, of two main elements-a bristle-feeding hopper and means for automatically feeding bristles through same and a segregating member, which may be operated by pedal or power means to have a forward-and-backward move ment through the hopper for selecting and removing the tufts from the mass of bristles in the hopper.

Upon a table A, suitably supported, is se cured an upright standard B, which supports the hopper. This hopper consists of an outer guiding member O, composed of two juxta posed circularly-formed strips passing from the front of the machine around the rear, extending downwardly and forwardly a short distance, as shown in Fig. II, and supported by two laterally-extending arms 0 0, Fig. I.

.These strips are formed with concave cylindrical surfaces, respectively, of equal diameter, and coaxially with these surfaces is mounted a cylindrical drum D, secured to a spindle (Z, mounted in a bearing 7), formed upon the standard B, such spindle extending laterally beyond the bearing, as shown in Fig. I. These cylindrical surfaces form two confining sides of an annular feedway of the hopper. To such lateral extension is secured a pulley (Z, to whose periphery is secured one end of a flexible strap (Z This strap runs over a pulley (Z mounted upon a rear-wardlyextending arm t, secured to the standard B, Fig. II. To the other end of such strap is attached a weight (not shown) which maintains a constant pull upon pulley cl, and consequently, through the medium of spindle (Z, upon the drum D, tending to rotate the latter, so as to cause its upper surface to move rearwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. II. An arm a extends laterally from the standard and has secured thereon two plates 6", which extend upwardly and downwardly across the space between the lower end of the guiding member O and the drum D, as shown in Figs. I and II. Upon the drum D and laterally of the guiding member O is mounted a circular disk O, slidable in the direction of the axis of the drum and securable upon the latter by means of a setscrew 0. The said disk O and guiding member O form the sides and the plates 6 the lowerend member of the bristle-hopper. That side formed by the disk is adjustable, the opposite side being open, whereby bristles of different length may be inserted in the hopper, so as to cause the middle of the bristles to fall in a perpendicular plane, passing between the two strigs forming the guiding member C.

Upon the drum D and secured so as to project radially therefrom and transversely of the feedway of the hopper is a plate d, which may be caused to travel through the feedway of the hopper. The upper end of the guiding member U is curved upwardly, as shown in Fig. V, to facilitate the insertion of bristles into same. To insert such bristles, the drum D is rotated, so as to cause the plate d" to clear the end of the guiding member and so held while the bristles are inserted in the feedway between the drum and guiding member. After the required number of bristles have been inserted parallel with the axis of the drum thelatter is released, whereupon by virtue of the pull exerted by the weight the drum turns back and causes said plate to impinge the upper surface of the bristle mass and effect a pressure upon same, compressing the mass upon the lower end of the hopper. The lower end of the feedway of the abovedescribed hopper is contracted by means of two curved portions 0 0 formed upon the strips of the guiding member, respectively, and projecting inwardly toward the drum, as shown in Figs. IV and VI.

In abearing E, secured to the table A, is mounted an oscillatory shaft E, upon the outer end of which is secured a crank c and upon the inner end of which is mounted the segregating member F, having an oscillatory path of movement passing between the two strips of the guiding member C and intersecting the lower end of the feedway of the hopper between the two curved projections c 0 Said segregating member is loosely mounted upon said shaft and has motion imparted to it through the medium of a crank a, link a, cut-off member 6, and stops (3 and J, secured to the plate a, such plate and cut-off member forming the segregating member. In its general operation and construction the segregating member is similar to that described and shown in United States Patent No. 521,630. The stops are located so that the crank 11 will contact stop 0" while the cut-off is out of contact with stop 0, so that a limited movement of the crank and cut-off may be had without effecting any movement upon the part of the plate (2. The front portion 0 of plate a is circular, having its center in the axis of crankshaft E, the rear of such portion terminating in a tooth a, forming a segregating-notch c", whose depth may be altered by means of a sliding piece a and securing-screw a as in the above-named patent. The construction is such that the distance from the axis of the crank-shaft E to the front end portion a is greater than that from the axis of said crankshaft to the top of the projections 0 0 so that said front end portion a will pass above the curved projections c c during its movement in the hopper-feedway, as shown in Fig. V. The movement of the segregating member toward the rear of the machine I shall term the advance or gril'iping movement and that toward the front the return or nongripping movement. In advance as regards the forward or gripping movement of the segregating member of such front end portion a is a rear portion a, depressed and inclining away from the notch c -that is, inclined relatively to the path of the latter the extreme front endof such rear portion being by construction at a distance from the axis of the crank-shaft E substantially equal to the distance from the axis of said crank-shaft to the 'top of the projections c c, the front end of such rear portion being by construction at a greater distance from the axis of said crankshaft E than is the said distance from said axis to said projections, so that relatively to the feedway such advance portion on moving through the way also moves radially into same, so as to compress bristles with which it comes in contact between it and the opposingsurface of the drum. Such action is made possible by reason of the described construction, wherein the path of the segregating member is substantially in the direction of feed of the bristles through the hopper, thus bringing the one relatively lixed confiningsu'rface (that of the drum) transverse to the direction of compression, Fig. VI.

The cut-off member is provided with a shoulder 6 arranged to close the slot and cut off a tuft of bristles lying therein. The portion in advance of such shoulder is made circular and when in its closing position in continuation of the curve of the front portion 0 as shown in Fig. V.

Secured upon the plate a" is a rzulially-projecting member e, located in advance of the rear portion a, as shown in Fig. V. The outer extremity of this member has a path of oscillation intersecting the feedway of the hopper, such extremity being shown in such feedway in dotted lines, Fig. II. The said extremity is made adjustable, so as to render the amount of such projection capable of alteration, such adjustment being effected by means of a slot formed therein and screws secured to the main portion of the member, as shown in dotted lines in said Fig. V.

Pivotally mounted upon the arm inclining forwardly and resting upon the periphery of the segregating member when passing thereunder, is a stripping member G, which prevents the exit of bristles from the feedway and beneath the lower end of the plates during the return movement of said segregating member.

The hopper having been supplied with bristles, as before described, the operation of the above-described device is as follows: Let it be assumed that the segregating member is in its extreme rearmost position, referring now to its direction of movement, as shown in Fig. 11. The advance movement of such member is instituted through the medium of the crank Such movement takes place immediately upon the engagement of the cut-off member with the stop 6, the segregating-notch being thus open. On the continuation of the advance movement the rear end portion of the segregating member enters the feedway and compresses the bristles, as before described, thus preparing them in compact form for the engagement of the segregating-notch. The segregating-notch now enters the bristles and is filled with a tuft of same. In this condition the segregating member reaches the end of its advance stroke, whereupon the movement is reversed, whereby the cut-off member is caused to close the notch and the crank caused to engage the stop 0". Immediately upon such engagement the return movement of the segregating member is instituted. Upon the continuation of this movement the tuft of bristles in the segregatingnotch is carried out, as shown in Fig. V, and removed from the feedwa-y, the member G sliding over the periphery of the segregating member and preventing, as before described, the exit of any superfluous bristles. After the segregating member has carried the tuft to the end of its stroke the reversal of the movement causes the cut-off member to disengage the notch, and so permit the tuft to be removed therefrom. Toward the latter end of the return movement the member 6 enters the feedway and agitates the bristles, so as to effect the uniform distribution thereof in the lower part of the hopper preparatory to a repetition of the above-described operation. As the bristles are removed from the bottom of the hopper the plate (F automatically feeds the bristles toward such lower end and keeps same supplied therewith.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means herein disclosed provided the means stated by any one of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. The combination of means for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, bristle-guiding means, and a rotary drum, such guiding means and drum forming an annular feedway for supplying bristles to said segregating means, said drum being provided with means arranged to compress said bristles.

2. The combination of means for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, bristle-guiding means, and a rotary drum, such guiding means and drum forming an annular feedway for supplying bristles to said segregating means, said drum being provided with a member arranged to contact with said bristles and adapted to compress the same proportionately to the amount of rotation of said drum.

3. The combination of means for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, bristle-guiding means, and a rotary drum, such guiding means and drum forming an annular feedway for supplying bristles to said segregating means, said drum being provided with means adapted, upon the rotation of the drum, to travel through said feed way and compress the bristles therein.

4. The combination with means for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, of a bristle-feeding hopper comprising two elements, one of such elements being movable relatively to the other and provided with means for automatically feeding bristles through such hopper.

5. The combination of means for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, a bristlefeeding hopper comprising two elements, one of such elements fixed and the other rotatable, said rotatable element provided with means for automatically feeding bristles through such hopper at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said element.

6. A bristle-feeding hopper comprisingtwo elements having coaxial cylindrical surfaces forming a feedway, one such element being movable relatively to the other and provided with means projecting transversely of such way.

7. The combination with a bristle-feeding hopper com prising two elements having coxial cylindrical surfaces forming a feedway, one such element being movable relatively to the other and provided with means projecting transversely of such way, of means for exerting a continuous pull upon such movable element so as to move or tend to move same.

8. The combination with a bristle-feeding hopper comprising two elements having oppositely-disposed surfaces forming a feed- Way, one of said elements being movable relatively to the other and provided with means for automatically feeding bristles through such hopper, of means connected with such movable element and arranged to exert a continuous pull upon same.

9. The combination with a bristle-feeding hopper comprising two elements having oppositely-disposed surfaces forming a feedway, one-of said elements being movable relatively to the other and provided with a plate projecting transversely of such way, of means exerting a continuous pull upon such movable member and tending to move same and cause said plate to compress the bristles in said feedway.

lO. A bristle-feeding hopper, in combination with a tuft-segregating member having IIO ram

a segregating-notch and a portion in advance of same arranged to compress bristles in the hopper before being segregated.

11. A bristle-feeding hopper having an inwardly-projecting portion near the discharging end of its feedway, in combination with a segregating member having a path of movement substantially parallel with such inwardly-projeeting portion and provided with a segregating-notch and a portion in advance of such notch inclined relatively to the path of the latter, such member arranged so as to cause such notch to traverse said way in the vicinity of said projecting portion.

19. In combination, a bristle-feeding hopper, a tuft-segregating member, and means for imparting to the latter a gripping and a non-gripping stroke, said member provided with com n'essing means and segregating means arranged to act successively during the gripping stroke.

13. In a machine for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, the combination with a bristle-hopper and means for feeding bristles through the same; of an oscillatory segregating member having a path of movement through such hopper, the outer surface of said segregating member comprising different portions removed at varying distances from its axis of oscillation.

14. In a machine 'forsegregating tufts from a mass of bristles, the combination with a bristle-hopper consisting of an outer stationary guiding member, and an inner rotary drum, the latter having secured to and projecting from its surface in a radial direction a plate intersecting the fcedway of such hop per, of a segregating member having a path of movement through such hopper.

15. In a machine for segregatingtufts from amass of bristles, the combination of a frame, a spindle mounted upon the latter, and a drum secured to such spindle, a guiding member partially surrounding such drum and forming a bristle-feedway in connection therewith, and a plate secured to such' drum projecting radially therefrom across such food;

way.

16. In a machine for segregatingtufts from a mass of bristles, the combinationof aframe, a curved guiding member secured to such frame, a cylindrical drum mounted within such guiding member, and a stopping member fixed relatively to said guiding member, said latter, the drum and said stopping member forming a hopper for feeding bristles.

17. In a machine for segregating tufts from amassof bristles, the combination of a frame, a curved guiding member secured to the latter, a cylindrical drum mounted within such guiding member, such latter and said drum forming the side members of a bristle-hopper; and a plate mounted upon said drum and forming a third side member of such hopper.

18. In a machine for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, a bristle-hopper comprising a guiding member forming one side thereof, a cylindrical drum mounted within such guiding member and forming a second side of said hopper, and a plate ad'justably mounted upon said drum and forming a third side of said hopper.

19. In a machine for segregating tufts from a mass of bristles, the combination of a movable segregating member arranged to have a forward and a return movement, a cut-off member acting in connection therewith to segregate a bristle tuft, and having a limited movementindependently thereof, such limited independent movement enabling the segregation or release of a bristle tuft, and means for imparting such limited independent movement to said cut-off member upon both the forward and return strokes of said segregating member.

Signed by me this 14th day of July, 1993.

H ENRY NI ELSON.

Attest:

I). 1. Davies, A. E. liInnunn. 

